Brotherly Loyalty
by Pyreite
Summary: [TMNT 2012 - Sequel to More than Friendly Feelings] Donnie has some social and brotherly issues to work through. He's not very confident in his own ability to be a decent boyfriend so he seeks advice from Raphael and gets a little extra help from Mikey too. Pairings: April x Donatello, slight Karai x Leo. Starring: Donnie, Raph, Mikey, Leo, and Master Splinter. COMPLETE.


_**Brotherly Loyalty**_

_**by Pyreite**_

**Rating:** M – Contains Mature Themes

**Fandom: **TMNT 2012, takes place a few years after season 1 and 2, and assumes that April and the boys are around 18 to 19.

**Synopsis: **Sequel to '_More than Friendly Feelings_'. Donnie has some social and brotherly issues to work through. He's not very confident in his own ability to be a decent boyfriend so he seeks advice from Raphael and gets a little extra help from Mikey too.

**Pairings:** Mentions of April x Donatello and Karai x Leo

**Warnings:**_ Contains Batman-themed pillows and comic-books, brotherly teasing, innuendo, breaking and entering, man hugs, foul language, pillow-fights, tears, and acts of brotherly forgiveness. Tissues are not required, but might prove useful. Discretion is advised. _

Raphael was chilling inside his bedroom, kicking back reading a comic-book, when someone rapped on his door. He turned a page and called out loud. "You better be using that bucket of water to mop the floor, Mikey, or you'll be wearing a new hat for the next hour". Mikey was unpredictable by nature, but could always be counted on to play pranks on his brothers. Raph was reassured by the slosh of water, the clang of metal, and his baby-brother's disappointed groan.

"_Aw man_!"

Raph shook his head when Mikey stomped away to grab a mop. He heard the familiar swish and plop as the mop was dunked and drained before being slapped onto the floor. Mikey's voice boomed moodily through the rickety wooden door. "You know it's totally unfair on me when you use that freaky ninja-psychic-voodoo to stem the tide of my creativity, Bro!" Raph reflexively rolled his eyes.

Mikey was such a Drama-Queen when things didn't go his way. Raph continued reading his comic-book while his little brother whined. "I'm the baby-brother! It's my sworn duty to make your life less boring!" Raph turned another page as he tuned out Mikey's ranting. He was reading up on Batman's latest foray into the Gotham underground when there was another rap on his bedroom door.

Raph looked up in surprise. He frowned as the rapping was repeated. The pattern of knocks was light-handed, fast, and gentle in comparison to Mikey's heavy-handed banging. The door wasn't rattling on its hinges either. Raph laid his comic-book in his lap as he called out again.

"Yeah?"

"Um, Raphie", answered a familiar nasally voice. Raphael recognised the speaker. The baritone rasp, tense with nervousness, instantly gave their identity away. Only one of his brothers still called him by that childhood nickname too. If Michelangelo was unpredictable than Donatello was a creature of habit.

Raph's curiosity got the better of him. He closed the comic-book, smoothed over the glossy cover, and wondered why Donnie had wandered away from his lab. His brainiac brother was usually too hip-deep in the latest science project to bother mingling with the locals. Raph was puzzled as to why Donnie would willingly seek to socialise. The guy usually preferred spending time with his mechanical contraptions than engaging in semi-intelligent conversations with other people.

It was _weird_.

"Everything alright, Don?" asked Raphael. He listened intently as Donnie croaked like a bullfrog. Raph heard the anxiety in every word. Donnie was hopeless at casual conversation. His genius brain tended to short-circuit whenever he had to make small-talk with someone that wasn't April.

"Yes and No, Raphie", rambled Donnie. "Everything is all right in the sense that I'm deliriously happy, and everything is not all right in the sense that I'm terrified of jeopardising that happiness". Raph smiled amusedly when Donnie sucked in a deep soul-shaking breath. His brother was having serious issues of some sort to have bothered braving the bowels of the Lair to seek him out. "You know that I'm not a social animal by nature, Raphie", rationalised Donnie. "I thought it would be prudent to seek guidance from someone wiser and more experienced than I".

"So you came to me?" replied a genuinely puzzled Raphael. "I'm the angry brother, Donnie. I'm not exactly the role-model for good behaviour". Raph offered his brainiac brother a piece of healthy advice. "You'll want Leo for that inspirational big-brother bullshit. Second door on the right. He should be meditating this time of day".

Raph laid a thick calloused fingertip on the cover of his comic-book. He was ready to resume reading when Donnie barked like an angry bulldog. "_I don't want to be lectured by the arrogant prig hell-bent on ruining my budding romance with April_!" Raph gaped when Donnie's fist came down hard on his bedroom door. The rickety plank of wood rattled on its rusty brass hinges.

Raph winced when a screw popped loose. Donnie was in one of his moods again. Raph gazed forlornly at the comic-book in his lap. It was a really good issue too, fully coloured, and beautifully inked and illustrated. He'd been looking forward to reading it for weeks.

"_Raphie_!" wailed Donnie. Raph sighed when his bedroom door creaked ominously. He slapped a hand to his forehead when Donatello gave the wood panelling a second sound walloping. Raph groaned irritably as a thick scaly green arm punched through in a shower of wooden splinters. He heard Donnie's surprised cry and a pathetic excuse too.

"Oh! I didn't mean to do that!"

Raph glared when that green arm, speckled with light and dark freckles, turned gracefully at the wrist. He was unamused when Donnie's fingers closed around the brass lock underneath the door-knob. The expert flick of a scaly thumb, a metallic click, and the lock readily popped open. Raph scowled as Donnie's hand closed around the door-knob. He watched the shiny brass sphere turn clockwise as Donnie invited himself inside.

Raph's lip curled indignantly when the door slid ajar. He saw one scaly green foot plant itself on the floor, followed by a pale yellow plastron, and a very contrite reptilian face. "I'm sorry for making a hole in your door, Raphie, but I really need to talk to somebody", wheedled Donnie. Raph sighed miserably. His anger deflated when he saw Donnie's watery brown eyes and drooping lower-lip.

Raph hung his head in defeat. Damn his sense of brotherly loyalty. He was a sucker for the puppy-dog look too. If Donnie broke down in tears he was screwed. The feelings of remorse and concern were already bubbling in his gut as he instinctually tried to smooth Donnie's ruffled feathers.

"It's all right, Don. It's nothing you can't fix later", soothed Raph. He reached forward to pat the edge of his bedspread. "You've already invaded my personal space, so you might as well make yourself at home". Raph was relieved when Donnie smiled. The goofy gap-toothed grin was a sight better than a distraught display of the dreaded _waterworks_.

"Thanks, Raphie".

Raphael nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders as his bedroom door was thrown wide. He expected Donnie to come inside, but not the squat orange tag-along too. He frowned when Mikey, crouching behind Donnie's shell, tried to sneak inside his room. "Hey!" growled Raph. "You heard Master Splinter! You're supposed to be mopping up your mess from this morning!"

Mikey was tense as a bowstring. Raph's temper reignited like a spark to tinder when his baby-brother pouted disappointedly. Mikey's eyes glistened like wet sapphires as he tried to reason with his temperamental older brother. "Raph!" he cried. "You can't leave me out of this! I'm a total Apritello-shipper too! I'm on your side!"

Donnie blushed. He glanced over his shoulder at Mikey. "Apritello?" Donnie reddened when Mikey nodded eagerly. His youngest brother had apparently put his infamous naming skills to good use again.

"Yeah", said Mikey. "April plus Donatello equals Apritello".

Raph chuckled. "That's actually not half bad".

Mikey grinned triumphantly as he slapped Donnie on the shoulder. "You see! I told you I was awesome at naming stuff!"

Raph's laughter faded. His comical grin disappeared. He jabbed a calloused finger at Mikey. "I didn't say you could stay". Raph pointed to the busted bedroom door.

"Get yourself outside short-stack. This is between me and Donnie".

Mikey leapt out from behind Donatello. His lower-lip drooped unhappily. "No! I'm an Apritello-shipper, Raph! I have to stay! I gotta know what happens with Donnie and April!" Mikey would have bawled in a heartbeat if Raph hadn't exchanged a thoughtful glance with Donnie.

"You want the doofus with the big yap knowing what we're gonna talk about, Don?"

Donatello sighed wearily. "You know he's only going to cry if you toss him out on his shell, Raphie".

Raphael shook his head, the tails of his red bandanna flying like a banner in the wind. He wasn't the most patient of his brothers, but he did have a soft spot for Michelangelo. His kid-brother was a pain in the shell at the best of times, but Mikey didn't have a mean bone in his body. He could be counted on to keep a secret too. Raph rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Donnie did need more allies. It would certainly be in their best interest to shore up defences if Leo was back to his meddling ways again. "The big bro been giving you problems, Don?" questioned Raph. He carefully scrutinised Donnie's reaction. The slight wince, the telling grimace, and the way his scaly brows furrowed irritably gave the game away.

"Yeah Leo's been a total jerk to Donnie", replied Mikey. Raph glared at their youngest brother. Mikey flinched. "Hey! Stop looking at me like that, Raph! It's not my fault that Leo stepped him out! You weren't there! It was ugly!"

Raph snorted derisively. "I'm not surprised. Leo's got a tick in his shell about you and the whole Apritello thing, Don". Raph chose to humour his little brothers. "Hurry up and get in here, guys. We might as well talk this shit through while we've got the chance. If Leo hasn't come stomping down the hall by now than he's probably with Master Splinter".

Donnie smiled fondly at his older brother. Raph was a hot-tempered firebrand, but he had a big heart under his shell too. "Thanks, Raphie". He carefully wriggled his arm out of the gaping hole in Raph's bedroom door. Several more wooden splinters rained down onto the carpeted floor.

"You're my brother, Donnie. I'm always here for you, no matter what, no matter when. You just gotta holler if you ever need me. I'll come running every time", asserted Raph.

Mikey beamed, all shiny white teeth, and satisfaction as he bounced inside the room too. "You're a real grump, Raph, but you can be a real cool guy too". He laughed when Raph took a mock swing at him. Mikey pulled his head inside his shell as Raph's burly green fist flew through the air. The blow went wide, missing him entirely, but that was always how Raph greeted his troublemaking little brother.

Mikey's arms and legs moved in sync as he scuttled like a crab across the floor. He popped his head out of his shell when he came within arms-reach of Raph's bedside table. He could easily have dodged the scaly green knuckles that rapped on his crown, but old habits died hard. "Ow! Quit it! I don't like my brains scrambled!" cried Mikey when Raph's arm slid around his neck instead. He was manhandled into the empty chair, beside Raph's bed, till the bottom of his shell hit the cushioned seat.

"That's for being an eavesdropper, _Mikey_!" chastised Raph. He gave his baby-brother another bonk on the noggin for good measure too. "And that's for not finishing your chores! You know how fussy Master Splinter is about tidiness! So I better see you mopping that floor when we're done here!" Raph glowered balefully at his baby-brother. He wasn't satisfied the message was understood until Mikey was squirming in his seat.

"Okay! _ Fine_! Just stop glaring at me!" grumbled Mikey.

Raph's expression softened when Michelangelo caved. He hated being hard on him, but somebody had to keep Mikey in line. Leo was too busy being their all-knowing Leader to bother with basic discipline. Raph patted Mikey on the crown of his scaly green head. His touch gentle and deliberate as he sought to coax a smile out of his moody baby-brother.

"It's okay, Mikey. I know you didn't mean to eavesdrop. It would have been impossible not to hear Donnie wailing like a sissy little girl", said Raph. He grinned when Donatello's lip curled indignantly. His brainiac brother was still sensitive about his less than stellar social skills. "Don't pout, Don, you'll get wrinkles", advised Raph. "Mikey and I are here to help you, like good bros' should, right, Mikey?"

Michelangelo was gently cajoled into smiling. He couldn't hold a grudge when Raph was fussing over him like an ornery mother-hen. Raph wasn't quiet or reserved like Leo. He didn't downplay the natural heart-warming concern he'd always had for his brothers. Mikey was glad that Raph was argumentative, bull-headed, and notoriously stubborn.

His brother had a big heart. If Raph yelled at him or bonked his skull a couple times. Mikey knew for _sure_ that his cranky big-brother genuinely cared about him. Leo was more distant, more restrained, but Raphael always made time for him. Night and day.

"Yeah", Mikey bubbled enthusiastically. "We're here for you, Donnie". Raph poked Mikey in the shoulder when his baby-brother cheekily planted a hand on his plastron. A hard shove and Raph tumbled over onto his bedspread. Mikey laughed as he steepled his fingers together.

He planted his elbows on Raph's bedside table. Mikey waggled his scaly green brows. His blue eyes sparkled like stars as he interrogated Donnie. "So Mr. Donatello Hamato", said Mikey in a fake italian accent. "How can we be of help to you today?"

Donnie smiled amusedly. "Mikey", he chuckled. "That is the worst italian accent I've ever heard". Donatello obligingly shut Raph's bedroom door, though the gigantic hole in the middle of it, destroyed their chance for privacy. He winced when he saw through the jagged edges into the hallway beyond.

"Well you did need a brand new door anyway", reasoned Donnie. Raph's bedroom door had been awfully creaky for several years. The hinges were rusty. The door-knob had always been a little temperamental too. "I'm surprised the door lasted this long considering how many times its been slammed, kicked, punched, and stabbed over the years", Donnie mused aloud.

"Are you suggesting that I have anger management issues, Don?" asked Raph. He decided to helpfully remind his brainiac brother about the day's latest mishap. "If you recall, Donatello, I wasn't the one responsible for putting a fist through that defenceless plank of wood". Raph chuckled when Donnie scowled. "You should know by now that I will always call you on your bullshit, Don".

Donnie felt the need to justify himself. He jabbed an accusing finger at Raph. "If you had opened the door, when I asked, and hadn't tried to fob me off onto Leo! I wouldn't have _accidentally_ punched a hole through it!" Donnie stubbornly folded his arms across his plastron. "Technically", he said snootily. "The collateral damage is entirely your fault, Raphie. I needed someone to talk to and you didn't respond favourably when I asked for your advice".

Mikey's blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "Technically, you didn't ask Raph for anything, Donnie", he declared boldly. "You were too busy whining about your own insecurities to bother with the _Please_ and the _Help me_ part that usually comes with the _asking_". Mikey smiled knowingly as he shared his own little gold nuggets of wisdom. "Asking Raph politely for his help would have been a whole lot more dignified than hollering in the hallway like a sissy little girl".

"It was implied, _Mikey_!" growled Donnie.

Mikey chuckled amusedly. "Whatever, dude. Saying the words is better. Hearing them is more understandable too". Mikey nodded to Raph. "You know he doesn't respond well when you yell at him, Donnie. Raph's a born fighter. If you come at him all aggressive than he's just gonna take you down or flick you off like an annoying little flea".

Donnie glowered at their mutual baby-brother. "Will you get to the point, Mikey!"

Michelangelo rolled his eyes. "Dude! You're not listening!" He rocked back on his shell until his shoulders hit the chair's cushioned bolster. "You can't just go up to a person and yell at them to get their attention! Geeze, Donnie! _You_'_re a genius_! Think about it! What would April do if you just walked up to her and screamed in her face?"

Donnie blushed till his cheeks were tinged a telling strawberry-red.

"April would slap you stupid with her tessan", stated Raph. He nodded in agreement. "Mikey has a point, Don. You can't just coerce a person into helping you. More than that you can't just expect a person to want to help you". Raph held up a hand to quieten Donnie when his brother pursed his lips to argue the point.

"I'm not finished". Raph smirked when Donnie grudgingly shut his mouth. "You're smart, Don, real smart, but sometimes you can be too forceful. That big brain of yours compels you to think that the sheer strength of your will can move mountains". Raph shook his head when Donnie's scaly green nose wrinkled disdainfully.

"Don, honestly, what made me want to help you in the end?"

Mikey shared a conspiratorial look with Raph. "He's not gonna get it". Raph shrugged his shoulders. Mikey shook his head. "You've got too much faith in the guy, seriously, Raph".

"Hey! _I_'_m standing right here_!" yelled an affronted Donatello. "I can hear you, Mikey!"

Michelangelo groaned disappointedly. "But you're not really _hearing _me or Raph are you, Donnie?" He slapped his palms on his knees in frustration. "We've told you why we're willing to help you sort out your troubles with April". Mikey looked his brother in the eye.

"Come on, Donnie. It's not that hard to figure out".

Donatello looked to Raph for guidance. He stared when Raph raised his hands high, curled his fingers inwards, and pressed his thumbs together. The shape of a heart, scaly and green, was visible over Raph's plastron. Donnie sniffed as he finally understood. His brown eyes glistened with tears.

"You guys want to help me because I'm your brother and you love me", whispered Donnie.

Mikey regarded Raph suspiciously. He grimaced when he saw the tell-tale heart sign. "Raph!" he hissed in disgust. "That's cheating! You're not supposed to _spell_ it out for him!"

"He was taking too long", said Raph. He ignored Mikey's irritable scowl. "Come and sit down, Donnie. I want to hear about what happened with Leo, then we can tackle your self-esteem issues". Raph scooted over to make room for his brother. He waited patiently while Donnie walked across the floor to the edge of his bed.

The mattress creaked when Donnie sat down. He smiled self-consciously as Mikey plucked something small and dark from his belt. "Here, dude, you're making me feel guilty. Wipe your face before I start blubbering too", urged his baby-brother. Donnie gingerly accepted the strange scrap of fabric. He half-expected an electric shock or a faceful of green slime.

Donnie was pleasantly surprised to feel soft silkiness between his fingers. He carefully cupped the bundle of material in the palm of his hand. Donnie gasped when he found a handful of heavy purple velvet embroidered with orange flowers, silver-blue leaves, and round red berries. He reverently studied the uneven stitching. Donnie recognised the earliest example of his own needlework.

"This was my first complete piece of embroidery". Donnie smiled ruefully. "I spent two months trying to get the stitching just right. It was hard threading the needle with my chubby fingers". Donnie laughed at the memory of a stubborn eight-year-old trying to hook a strand of cotton through an eye-hole the size of a pinhead.

"I was so mad that my hands weren't as dexterous or precise as Master Splinter's". Donnie grinned amusedly at his brothers. "I was envious that he had one more finger than I did. Three doesn't really cut it when your trying to embroider chrysanthemums". Donnie spread the handkerchief out until it billowed over his wrist.

Raph leaned over till he could see the elaborate piece of needlework too. He prodded the crooked edge of a large orange flower. "I always thought those were sunflowers". He yelped when Donnie elbowed him hard in the side. "Ow! _ Hey_! Keep your ninja-elbows to yourself!"

"You try embroidering anatomically accurate chrysanthemums when your fingers are the size of sausages!" grumbled Donnie. He glowered defiantly at his older brother. Donnie expected a sound scolding. He wasn't prepared for the cocky grin and the twinkling green eyes. Raph had an odd sense of humour.

"You are such a jackass, Raphie", accused Donatello. He chuckled when Raph good-naturedly bumped his shoulder. "No I'm not forgiving you for mistaking my chrysanthemums for sunflowers!" scolded Donnie. He stuck his nose in air haughtily when Raphael bumped him again. He sniffed snobbishly.

"Still not forgiving you", reiterated Donnie.

Mikey giggled. "You guys are such dorks". He reached over to pat Donnie's knuckles. "Dude, give it here". Mikey plucked the handkerchief from Donnie's fingers, leaned forward in his seat, and captured a scaly green chin in the palm of his hand.

Donnie rolled his eyes, but submitted patiently to Mikey's fussing. His eyelids were gently dabbed. His cheeks were wiped clean. Donnie blinked when Mikey finally sat back with the handkerchief clasped in his hand. He was humbled when Mikey carefully folded the purple velvet and tucked it back into his belt.

"I threw that thing out years ago. Why'd you keep it, Mikey?" asked Donnie.

Michelangelo's cheeks dimpled as he smiled. "It reminds me of my family". Mikey's enthusiasm waned when Donnie sighed wistfully. He shared a concerned look with Raphael. Donnie was troubled.

"Tell me what happened with Leo", urged Raph. He laid a hand on Donnie's shoulder. He squeezed the muscle, made hard and strong through years of training, to show his support. "Come on, Don. Lay it on me. Something is obviously bothering you real bad right now", coaxed Raph. He didn't like seeing his brainiac brother so down in the dumps.

Donnie stared at the carpeted floor. He was reluctant to share the details now, but he had wanted to talk to someone ever since Leo had laid down the law. It wasn't fair that their mutual older brother thought he had the right to Lord over their lives. Leo was their Leader, but he was also their brother too, something Donnie thought he'd forgotten. Donnie took a deep fortifying breath as he described what had happened the previous day.

"I was in the garage yesterday doing my usual safety check on the Shellraiser when Leo waltzed inside", explained Donnie. He recited the ordinary everyday occurrences in his life. "We exchanged greetings like always and we chatted for a few minutes about fairly mundane things". Donnie shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "We talked about training. What was for dinner. If we needed to do another grocery run before the end of the week", said Donnie. "You know, Raphie, normal stuff".

"But it didn't stay that way", remarked Raphael. He'd been out on a routine patrol run with Casey. The issue of April's boyfriend was still a sensitive subject, but Casey always rose above his own misgivings to get the job done. Raph was glad his friend wasn't outright opposed to the match. Casey was happy that April had a good guy in her life, though he was envious that Donnie would be getting the lion's share of her kisses and cuddles for the foreseeable future.

"No. It didn't stay civil for long, Raph", seconded Mikey. The youngest of Splinter's sons looked to Donnie for permission. He smiled sympathetically when his brother nodded. Mikey launched into his perspective on the argument that had erupted in the Lair's spacious garage. "I was passing by on my way to the kitchen when I heard Leo start asking Donnie all sorts of questions". Mikey grimaced as he recalled the sound of Leo's voice.

"It was like an interrogation", said Mikey. "Leo knows that things have quietened down in the Lair since April moved into her apartment downtown". Mikey shook his head disapprovingly. "I dunno what got into him, Raph. Leo just kept hammering Donnie with question after question".

Raph scowled moodily. He had a sneaking suspicion about what had likely gone down. Leo had been acting strangely ever since April had publicly announced her intention to date Donnie. Raph wanted clarification before he jumped to conclusions. He was still the angriest of his brothers, but several years of clashing with the Kraang, Shredder and his goons, and the Purple Dragons had tempered his rage with patience.

"What did Leo want to know?" asked Raph.

Donnie gazed pleadingly at Mikey. The experience was still too raw and too painful for him to talk about. "It's all right, Donnie", soothed Michelangelo. "I'm here for you". Mikey patted his brother on the knee as he told Raph what had happened.

"Leo wanted to know when Donnie had last seen April, why, for how long, and if he'd met her above ground or below", explained Mikey. He sighed as he reflected on Donatello's inevitable reaction. "I don't blame Donnie for being upset. It was none of Leo's business. April comes and goes as she pleases. Master Splinter doesn't keep her on a leash like a dog, but the way Leo was talking, she might as well have been our pet instead of our friend".

Raph's lip curled indignantly. His fingers curled into the calloused bed of his palms. He sucked in a quick calming breath as he fought to control the bubbling rage. He loved April as much as he loved his brothers. She was like a sister to him, a dear friend, and a confidant too.

"What did Leo say, Mikey?", demanded Raph.

Michelangelo bit his lip uncertainly. He glanced at Donnie, unsure if he should continue. The words, spoken by their mutual brother, could only ignite a wildfire of anger in Raphael. "It wasn't good, Raph", mumbled Mikey. He shrank in on himself, shoulders slumping, when Raph growled like a territorial bulldog.

"_You better tell me what Leo said_!"

Donnie smiled gratefully at Mikey. He mouthed a silent '_Thank you_' as he weathered the storm of Raph's fury. He found the courage to relay what Leo had haughtily declared. The message was terrible and infuriating in its closed-mindedness. Leo was too hidebound, too sceptical, to think that an inter-species relationship could work.

"Leo said that April was our friend and part of our family", clarified Donnie. He pouted when he thought of how backward his usually forward-thinking brother truly was. "He said that as a young woman barely into her late teens, she was too immature and inexperienced to make any real commitments to anything or anyone". Donnie sighed miserably. "Leo said that I shouldn't take any promises that April made seriously since she was incapable of fulfilling them".

Raph waited for Donnie to elaborate. He glared when Donnie kept his mouth shut. His brainiac brother was too proud to continue tattling on Leo. Raph rolled his eyes exasperatedly. Donnie's heart, just like Mikey's, was too damned forgiving.

"That's not all Leo said", wheedled Raph.

"No it's not", agreed Donnie. "Leo said a whole lot more, but the base implication was that my relationship with April was doomed to fail".

Mikey's blue eyes blazed like hot coals. He startled Raph by swearing vehemently. "Leo's a lying rat-bastard, Donnie!" Mikey stared long and hard at his poor genius of a brother. "Don't you dare go listening to him!"

Mikey leaned forward in his seat to poke Donnie in the plastron. "Don't you dare believe him either! Your relationship with April is nothing like his failure with Karai!" Mikey was surprised when Donatello gawked at him. "What?" he asked confusedly. "What did I say?"

Raphael gaped at their baby-brother too. Mikey was more observant than he let on. He'd hit the nail on the head in one go. Raph exchanged a look with Donnie as realisation dawned upon them. Leo was envious of April, because unlike the sly game-playing Karai, she was always serious when it came to matters of the heart.

"You're a genius, Mikey", praised Raphael. He was so surprised by the revelation that he forgot to reprimand his kid-brother for using foul language. "It's so obvious that Leo would be jealous", concluded Raph. He nodded as all of the pieces finally fell into place. "That's why he was so annoyed the night I goaded April into declaring her feelings for you, Don".

Donatello wiped a weary hand down his face. "But Leo's never been this disagreeable. He's the most honourable of the four of us, Raphie. I don't understand why my relationship with April is such a threat to him". Donnie tensed when Mikey, busily swirling a pinky-finger in his ear, declared the likely reason for Leo's disapproval.

"Leo's the oldest, Donnie, and he's our Leader. He's probably scared that you'll get hurt like he did. He could be afraid of losing you too. If you're serious enough about April than you might leave the Lair. Leave us. Leo can't be a leader if there's nobody to lead anymore".

Raph glowered at Mikey. He was annoyed that his baby-brother was so damned reasonable. Mikey's matter-of-fact explanation took the wind out of his sails. The anger dissolving into pity, even regret, when Leo's emotional turmoil was revealed. It was just like their honourable big-brother to internalise his problems.

"That stupid idiot", muttered Raph. He froze when he felt that familiar twinge of déjà vu. Someone was staring at him again. Raphael was ready to bark and growl like a peeved bulldog when he looked up. He found two pairs of eyes regarding him expectantly. The silence was telling especially when Mikey and Donnie didn't break eye contact.

"_Oh hell no_!" snarled Raph.

"Come on, Raph!" insisted Mikey. "You're the only one who could get through to him!"

Raph stared long and hard at his baby-brother. "Donnie came to me for advice! _Advice_, _Mikey_! Not to solve his personal problems!" Raphael recoiled when Donnie leaned forward, sniffled pathetically, and thrust out his lower-lip pleadingly. "_You better cut that shit out_, _Donnie_!" roared Raph. He groaned irritably when Donatello's brown eyes glistened tearily.

"You miserable little shits", grumbled Raph. "I hate it when you double-team on me". Raph sighed disappointedly. "Fine. I'll talk to Leo after I punch him a couple times". Raphael scowled when Mikey waggled his finger back and forth disapprovingly.

"No punching. No biting. No kicking or wrestling, Raph. This is a delicate situation already. If you go in swinging than it'll just make everything worse", declared Michelangelo.

"Leo deserves an ass-whooping for what he said about April!" argued Raph.

"No ass-whooping either", asserted Mikey.

Raphael kicked his baby-brother in the shin. "Ow! _Hey_!" cried Michelangelo. Raph watched with satisfaction when Mikey furiously rubbed his smarting leg. He kicked him again for good measure. "_Raph_!" screeched Mikey. "_Stop kicking me_!"

Raphael bent his knee a third time. He would have kicked Mikey again if a firm scaly green hand hadn't caught him round the ankle. "That's enough, Raphie!", rebuked Donatello. Raph smacked his brother's shoulder in retaliation. He yelped when Donnie pinched the sensitive skin under his arm.

"_Yeowch_!"

Raph's armpit burned from Donnie's assault. He pulled his stinging arm tight to his plastron to avoid a repeat attack. He would have shoved Donnie aside if a thick scaly green finger hadn't slid under his kneecap. The gentlest prod made Raph tense. He cagily regarded his brainiac brother.

"You're a dirty rotten bastard, Donnie!" accused Raph. He trembled when Donatello rubbed the tip of his calloused finger in a ticklish half-circle. "_Cut it out_!" demanded Raph. He was relieved when Donnie relented with a snort and a giggle. His ankle was released, though the sympathetic pat on the kneecap was an insult to his pride.

"Get off me!" griped Raph. He scrutinised Donnie's every move as his brother removed his hands. Raph wasn't reassured until he saw two freckled green palms raised high in the air. He flinched when Donnie mockingly wiggled those fingers. "If you go for my knees again", warned Raph, "I'll slap the green off your shell!"

Donnie smirked amusedly. "It's not my fault you're ticklish there, Raphie, and technically my shell is brown not green like the rest of me".

Donnie humoured Raph's injured pride. He endured the hard yank on the purple tails of his bandanna. Sometimes it was better to brave hurricane Raphael than to run from him. Donnie chuckled when Raph moodily agreed to talk to Leo without kicking his shell. He appreciated the sentiment, but he would rather avoid further conflict with their mutual big-brother.

"Fine", said Raph. "I'll talk to the big bro without going all mean and nasty on him". Raphael (unfortunately for Donnie) already had a back-up plan. Leo was going to get his comeuppance. April deserved justice and Raph was determined to deliver.

"Finally", sighed Mikey. He watched his brother warily as he refocused their attention on the problem at hand. "Keep your feet to yourself, Raph. We can fight later, but right now, we need to help Donnie with his self-esteem issues". Mikey grinned when Donatello reddened.

"I do not have self-esteem issues!" denied Donnie.

"Yeah you do", countered Raph.

Donnie sucked in an offended breath, mouth frothing, and nostrils flaring like a wild mustang. "_I do not_!" he protested hotly. He was just as proud as his brothers, just as confident in his own abilities, and just as likely to refuse to admit that he had weaknesses. Donnie scowled when Raph nudged him in the plastron. "I do not have self-esteem issues", reiterated Donnie, "What I have is a mild case of anxiety in relation to my inability to impress, placate, and entertain my girlfriend".

Donnie smacked Mikey on the noggin when his baby-brother wolf-whistled. He glared when Michelangelo giggled giddily. "You hear that, Raph?" teased Mikey. "Our little Don-Juan-El-Romantico has a girlfriend!" Donnie rolled his eyes when Mikey punched the air victoriously.

"Yeah, Baby!" cried Mikey. His blue eyes twinkled merrily. Mikey winked at Raph as he goaded Donnie with an invasive question. "So, Donnie", Mikey said slyly. "Has April popped your cherry yet?"

Raphael looked on with bored disinterest when Donnie howled blue murder. "_That's none of your business you nosy little pervert_!" Raph yawned when Donnie leapt on Mikey like a flea on a dog. He lay down on the newly vacated bed while his brothers wrestled on the carpeted floor. Raph remained the quiet, but attentive ringside referee.

Bandannas were yanked. Armpits were pinched. Plastrons were kneed. Nostrils were plugged. Eyes were poked.

Raph called foul when Donnie tried to sink his pearly white teeth into Mikey's shoulder.

"_Raph_! _Help_!" squealed Michelangelo. "_He_'_s trying to eat me_!"

"Hey! _No biting_!" rebuked Raph. He grabbed the back of Donnie's bandanna, the purple fabric billowing over his wrist, as he forcibly separated his brawling baby-brothers. "What did I tell you about fighting dirty, Donnie?" snarled Raph. He twisted Donatello's bandanna until the material pulled uncomfortably tight. "_What did I tell you?_" roared Raph.

"Ow! Ow! _Ow_!" wailed Donatello. His brown eyes watered as he hastily answered. "Only Kraang chew on their foes as their last line of defence!" Mikey clawed at Raph's wrist when his bandanna was yanked from behind too. Raph urged his baby-brother to recite the same lesson.

"_What else_, _Mikey_?" demanded Raph.

"Only the Purple Dragons panic when the fight turns nasty!" screeched Michelangelo.

Raphael glowered when his baby-brothers' whimpered in unison. They could fight like cats and dogs, but they would always be a family. Raph dug his scaly green fingers into their scalps as he barked another order. "What do Ninja Turtles do?" He watched with grim satisfaction as he forced his brothers to look one another in the eye.

"Technically ordinary salt and fresh water terrapins live and swim in wat-_Ow_! _Raphie_!" yelped Donatello. The tails of his bandanna were twisted tighter. Raph was unamused by his smartass comment. "Ow! OW! You're going to cut off the blood-supply to my brain if you keep-_OW_!" shrieked Donnie. "_Trying to garrotte my eyeballs_!"

"What do Ninja Turtles do?" persisted Raph.

"We fight with honour!" yelled Donnie.

Raph leaned forward and hissed in Donatello's ear. "Right! We fight with honour!" Raph released the purple tails of Donnie's bandanna. He nodded respectfully as he unwound his fingers from Mikey's orange bandanna too. Raph cradled the vulnerable napes of their necks in the palms of his hands.

"Ninja turtles fight with honour", restated Raphael. He smiled slyly. "Most of the time". He winked at Donnie, green eyes twinkling mischievously, as he repeated Michelangelo's earlier question. "So, Donnie", he said casually. "Did April pop your cherry?"

Mikey grinned when Donnie gasped in outrage. "After you", he offered politely. He chuckled when Donnie, needing no encouragement, tackled Raph with a guttural war-cry. Mikey sighed blissfully, a beautific smile on his face, as Donnie tried to throttle their mutual big-brother. "And that's how we know you're still an angry little virgin, Donnie", remarked Mikey.

Michelangelo rolled his shoulders, cracked his knuckles, and worked the kinks out of his neck. He watched for several seconds as Raph tried to capture Donnie in a submission hold. It was a neat piece of work until Donnie attacked his vulnerably ticklish knees. The eruption of laughter was more of a tickle-fight than an actual brawl. Mikey stepped round a guffawing Raph to snatch the pillow off his bed.

He grinned impishly as he brandished his weapon of choice. "I can't let you guys have all the fun", said Mikey. He twirled the pillow in his hand, nimbly bent his elbow, and whipped it around his head like a bola. He waggled his scaly green brows when Donnie peered up at him. "So Donnie", goaded Mikey. "Did April make you scream or beg when she was rocking your shell in bed?"

Donatello's face flushed a vibrant rosy-red. He howled like a hunting wolf when Mikey beckoned him with a cheeky flick of the finger. "_You're going to be hacking up feathers for a week you filthy little pervert_!" Donnie ignored Raph's catcalling from the sidelines. He was determined to plug Mikey's yap with a mouthful of goose-down and Raphael's black and white Batman-themed pillow.

"Go get him, Donnie!" encouraged Raph as he wiped a bloody nose. "Yeah! Beat him into the ground, Mikey! Swing that pillow!" Raph cackled when said pillow was stuffed into Mikey's enormous green mouth. "Man", he wheezed breathlessly. "I love my family".

Raph launched himself back into the fray. He was determined to rejoin the fun too. Donnie's troubles could be worked through later, for now they could spend time rough-housing. Brothers that laughed, lived, and loved together fought better together. Raph was too busy knocking Donnie's feet out from under him, to see the twin shadows hovering outside his broken bedroom door.

Splinter stood in silent vigil with his eldest child. He looked to his son, heart heavy with sympathy, when Leonardo saw his brothers, framed inside a circle of broken wood, laughing and playing and fighting together. Their unbridled display of brotherly affection was poignant and painful. Splinter saw how Leo's face crumpled as realisation dawned upon him. He was absent from what was quickly devolving into a pillow-fight of epic proportions.

"They don't need me anymore", whispered Leo as Raphael laughed in the background. He peered up at their mutual father and sensei, confident that he was right. Mikey's childish squealing made him flinch as if he'd been physically slapped. Leo bit his lip, shook his head, and turned on his heel. His shell faced Raph's busted bedroom door as he turned his back on his brothers.

"I wanted to apologise to Donnie. I've been such an idiot. I didn't see how much my rejection of his happiness with April hurt his feelings", admitted Leo. He sniffed ashamedly, eyes downcast as he wallowed in his own misery. He was too distracted, staring at his toes, to notice the laughter from inside Raphael's bedroom had died down.

Splinter's whiskers twitched when Raphael's door creaked open. He watched as three sets of eyes peered into the hallway. Leo droned on, voice flat and depressed, when Michelangelo crept outside. Splinter was acknowledged with a nod and a smile as Mikey tip-toed like a professional thief. Donnie and Raphael shared conspiratorial grins.

Their baby-brother, with a pillow in hand, sought to exact vengeance for April's besmirched honour.

"I realise now that April isn't anything like Karai, Sensei", admitted Leo. "She'd never play with Donnie's heart like Karai did with mine". Leo wiped his face as the tears welled up again. "I just wanted to protect them both. It's what big-brothers are supposed to do for their younger and more vulnerable siblings".

"Aw!" crowed Mikey. "I almost feel kinda guilty about this part". Leo's eyes bulged in surprise as a gigantic rectangular shadow sailed towards his head. He reacted on instinct, knees bending, and leg sweeping low. "Hah! Ya missed me, Leo!" cried Mikey, jumping high, as he brought the pillow down hard across Leo's bald scaly green noggin.

The soft cushioned impact startled Leo. He blinked his wide blue eyes as Mikey pranced around him as if he were a stripper's dancing pole. The Batman-themed pillow was twirled like a baton. Leo was too stunned to dodge when Batman's muscular armoured black and white chest travelled at the speed of light. He was whacked in the face, smacked on the plastron, and walloped on the shell.

"Oh Lee-oh is lame-oh at this game-oh!" sang Michelangelo as he struck blow after soft-cushiony blow.

"Wow", said Donnie. "Leo's not even trying to fight back".

Raphael grimaced as he watched Mikey hand Leo's shell to him on a silver platter. Donnie was right. Their gloriously fearless Leader was standing there still as a statue. "No, Don", replied Raph. "Leo's not fighting back because he's not even trying to defend himself".

Raph cringed when their father, wizened and brown-furred, looked down his pointed nose at him. "Leonardo is in distress", he stated sagely. Raphael glanced from Splinter to Donnie. He was the recipient of two expectant brown-eyed stares. "Will you not help your brother my, son?" asked Splinter.

Donnie's giddiness turned sour in his gut when he heard soft sobbing. "Leo's crying, Raphie", he implored. "I know he's been a douche-bag for the last couple weeks, but you heard him too". Donnie pleaded on behalf of their heartbroken big-brother being gleefully pounded to a pulp by Mikey. "Leo's sorry for what he said about April".

Raphael's lip curled sullenly. "He's not sorry enough!"

Donatello gaped when Raph laid strong calloused hands upon his shoulders. The firm admonishing grip took his breath away as Raphael stepped around him. "Raphie?" called Donnie. He tried to catch Raph's arm, but his wrist was swiftly intercepted by four clawed fingers. Donnie looked up into the whiskered face of their mutual father and sensei.

"Do not interfere, Donatello", advised Master Splinter.

Donnie watched worriedly as Raph crossed the floor. He expected a violent confrontation. Donnie was startled when Raph patiently interceded before Michelangelo could pound Leo with the pillow again. "That's enough, Mikey", said Raph. "I'll take it from here".

Mikey glanced between his two older brothers. He pouted unhappily when he saw Leo's long sad face. He opened his mouth to apologise, but one glare from Raphael sent him scurrying away like a frightened mouse. "All right! I'm going! _I_'_m going_!" cried Mikey. He rejoined Donatello and Master Splinter outside Raph's room.

"This is going to be bad, Donnie!" predicted Mikey.

Donnie sighed. "I don't know, Mikey. I guess we'll just have to wait and see".

Master Splinter smiled congenially. "You underestimate your brother", he said kindly. "Raphael's fierce spirit is tempered by a compassionate heart".

"I hope your right, Sensei", replied Donnie.

Splinter chuckled warmly. "You will see, Donatello. You will see".

Raph approached Leo cautiously. His footsteps were quiet and slow as not to alarm his older brother. Raph frowned when he saw Leo's wet scaly green cheeks, watery blue eyes, and dispirited expression. This was not the fearless Leader he knew and admired. This turtle was broken in ways that only love and time and patience could mend.

Karai had done her work well.

Raph saw the cracks in his brother's usually indomitable confidence. Leo was a shadow of himself. His usually resilient heart had been bent and twisted by pain, fear, and jealousy. "Geeze", observed Raphael. "You're a mess, Leo".

Leonardo bowed his head ashamedly. His shoulders slumped as he wept. The moisture of his tears had soaked his bandanna a dark and slick navy blue. "I'm s-s-sorry", stuttered Leo. The tears came thick and fast in a deluge of salty brine.

Raph's anger dissolved into pity. He tried to harden his heart, but the sight of his big-brother in such terrible distress was upsetting. Raph shook his head at his own foolishness. He was actually considering overlooking Leo's transgressions. Raph made up his mind when he heard another shell-rattling sob.

"Fuck it", swore Raph. He stepped forward, threw his arms wide, and embraced Leo. He pulled his brother tight to his plastron. "You should be sorry", Raph said coldly. "You were wrong to give Donnie shit about his relationship with April".

"Raphie!" protested Donatello.

"Yeah! You're supposed to be comforting him, Raph!" seconded Michelangelo.

"_Shut up_!" snarled Raphael. He ignored the heckling from the sidelines as he patted Leo's shell. "You've been a complete jackass", said Raph. "I should be kicking your shell around the Lair, but I'm not blind or heartless". Raphael patiently laid his cheek upon the crown of Leo's head.

"I can see that you need me as a brother right now".

Raph held on as the dam burst. He was ready when Leo burrowed into the shelter of his arms. "Let her go", urged Raph. "You've held onto the hope and the grief for long enough. It's time to move on, Leo. You owe it to yourself. You deserve to be happy again".

"I'm sorry!" sobbed Leo. "_I_'_m sorry_!"

"I know you are", replied Raph as he hugged his grieving brother. "I know, Leo, and it's all right".

"Wow", sniffled Mikey. He wiped teary blue eyes. "I didn't think Leo was this hung up over losing Karai!" He whipped his purple velvet handkerchief out of his belt again. Mikey unfolded the material, sucked in a watery breath, and blew his nose like a foghorn.

"_Oh gross_!" cried Donatello. He hooked a finger into the material of his bandanna. Donnie discreetly pulled the purple strip down around his neck. He wiped his wet eyes with quiet dignity. "That's what happens when you love someone, Mikey", reasoned Donnie. "Karai didn't die, sure, but her choosing to leave us, to leave Leo, broke his heart".

Splinter sighed regretfully. "Karai's desire to rebuild the Foot clan was a noble endeavour", he said quietly. "She could not do so here in New York". Splinter watched as Raphael comforted his grieving heart-broken son. "Her decision to return to Japan was necessary. Leonardo's decision to remain here, with us, was more selfless than he will ever know or understand".

Donnie nodded in agreement. "I know, Sensei, and I understand too. I just wish there was a way we could help him".

Splinter smiled as he laid his hands upon his sons' shoulders. He gave Mikey and Donnie a gentle push. "Go and be his brothers", urged Splinter. He watched with pride as Michelangelo and Donatello crossed the hallway to join Raphael. Mikey was the first to wrap an arm around Leo, though Donnie followed suit soon after.

"It's all right, Leo", cooed Mikey.

"Yeah. We're here for you", seconded Donnie.

Raph smiled as they closed in as one upon their broken-hearted and grieving big-brother. Leo was enveloped in a circle of trust and love and forgiveness. "Yeah you big, dork", said Raph. "You forgot you had brothers, but we didn't forget about you". Raph looked into brown eyes and blue as Donnie and Mikey completed their eclectic quartet.

Leo's breath hitched when Raphael asked a simple question. "What do Ninja Turtles do, Donnie?"

"We ride the roller-coaster of life together", replied Donnie.

Mikey smiled fondly. "We fight for the good, kick the ass of the bad, and patch each other up after every fight".

Raph nodded. "We forgive each other for our mistakes too". He patted Leo's shell, hoping that his big-brother would finally understand. Ninja that lived, laughed, and loved together fought better together. They weren't just a team of mutant martial artists.

They were a family.

Splinter chuckled when four reptilian faces regarded him expectantly. He gracefully crossed the hall, robes rustling, as he sought to reunite with his children. Splinter opened his arms and four teenage mutant ninja turtles partook of the safety and security he offered. He nuzzled rosy cheeks, freckled cheeks, and salty wet cheeks one after another. Splinter paused when he gazed upon Raphael.

His second eldest submitted grumpily to his affection. Raph laughed when Splinter twitched his whiskers. "Okay! I give!" Splinter smiled amusedly. He embraced his adopted children, heart full, for they were growing into strong, wise, and compassionate young men.

"I am proud of you my, sons", declared Splinter.

Leo smiled for the first time that day. He was surrounded by his family again. The pain over losing Karai would take time to heal, but with the help of his brothers he would mend. Leo snuggled closer to Raph. He was pleasantly surprised and grateful that his greatest friend and rival had a fierce spirit and a compassionate heart.

Minutes passed as Splinter and his sons enjoyed the closeness that only came with kin-ties built over years of living together. Donatello had other things on his mind.

"So", said Donnie. "Does this mean you're okay with the whole Apritello thing, Leo?"

"You're ruining the family atmosphere, Donnie!" hissed Raphael.

"I thought now was a good time, to you know, put it out there", reasoned Donnie.

"Apritello?", asked a confused Master Splinter.

Mikey continued to hug Leo as he explained. "Oh it's short for April plus Donatello equals Apritello".

Donnie smiled innocently when their sensei arched a shaggy white eyebrow. "I see", replied Splinter. Donnie's smile brightened when Splinter gave his blessing. "I approve of your relationship with April my, son". Donnie groaned miserably when he was given an ultimatum too.

"However", cautioned Splinter. "You and I and April will spend an afternoon discussing what is and what is not appropriate conduct for a pair of dating teenagers".

Donatello pouted unhappily. "Yes, sensei". He was startled by the sound of soft laughter. Donnie looked over Raph's burly shoulder. He spied Leo laughing through the tears.

"Hey!" cried an offended Donnie. "It's not that funny, _Leo_!"

The seconds ticked by.

Leo was still chortling.

"_You better stop laughing_!" growled Donnie. "_Stop it_!"

Leo buried his face in Raph's plastron. His shoulders shook as he laughed harder. "That's definitely not working for you, Donnie", declared Raph. He patted Leo's shell sympathetically. "On the plus side Leo isn't crying out of shame and regret anymore. Now he's crying because Master Splinter just neutered your love-life".

"_Raphie_!" hissed Donatello.

Raphael shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "I'm just calling it as I see it, Don".

Mikey smiled blissfully as he laid his head upon Leo's shoulder. "Welcome back to the drama that is our family's life big, Bro. Welcome home".


End file.
